Russian sacred choral music is one of the most outstanding phenomena of the entire European musical culture and has brought forth some superlative works. Ever since the opening up of Russia at the end of the 1980s, this music has become increasingly known and appreciated in the West. If many western choirs still shy away from these compositions, it is probably because of the scarcity of relevant practice-based sheet music.
The two-volume choir book RUSSIA a cappella closes this gap very impressively, and in its content also sets new standards. The first volume, Sacred part songs for mixed voices, presents on an unprecedented scale the broad spectrum of Russian a-cappella choral art. Spread across seven chapters which reflect, in chronological order, the most important styles and trends, the 81 compositions contained in the book represent the entire historical development of Russian sacred choral music. In addition to the genuine classics that are a “must” in any compilation of this kind, here you will come across many a new discovery, some of them even being published for the first time. An appendix with a short introduction to Orthodox liturgical music, an informative overview of Russian sacred choral music, thumbnail biographies of all of the composers whose works are contained in the collection and instructive notes on the works themselves, supplies the necessary background information and makes an essential contribution to understanding the works and the conditions that gave rise to them.
Oriented primarily towards practical concert work, the book provides a rewarding and many-faceted repertoire for both dedicated amateur choirs and ambitious chamber and concert choirs. Equally, the book offers compositions for use in divine service, and a thematic index lists the possible uses of the pieces in the course of the ecclesiastical year. The notation has been carefully edited on the basis of reliable sources. In addition to the original Church Slavonic texts in a well thought-out phonetic transliteration, all of the choral pieces have been provided with singable English versions based as closely as possible on the originals.
Volume 1 of RUSSIA a cappella opens up new perspectives on the Russian sacred choral culture in all its diversity and individuality and so also makes a valuable contribution to understanding between nations.
Many titles of the choral book are available as single downloads (pdf files). See the list of titles and order options (minimum order quantity of 10 copies) further below!
